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Overuse and inappropriate use of antibiotics in agriculture has been implicated in the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria, which is a significant and growing public health threat. Antibiotics are used in the agricultural as growth promoters as well as treatment and prevention of infections. Some of the popular antibiotics used as growth promoters are those related to Vancomycin such as Avopricin. These antibiotics are administered to animals orally, through injection or mixed into animal food. Spraying of antibiotics on plants is also a common practice that helps treat infections. However, the use of antibiotics has its implications both in the economical and the biological aspect. Biologically, antibiotics lead to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. Economically, it lowers the production cost.
Use of antibiotics as growth promoters has resulted in antibiotic-resistant strains. These resistant antibiotics can be transmitted to humans and other animals. The transmissions occur when contaminated animal products are ingested or through direct contact. Animal and human bacteria can also transfer genes leading to human infections. Some studies suggest that Campylobacter jejuni infections became resistant towards fluoroquinolone due to contamination from beef in the US. An investigation was done on chicken using antibiotic growth promoters also added up to the findings as it was discovered that campylobacter infections were connected to chicken. The results led to the banning of fluoroquinolone use in poultry farming.
Exposure of human to resistant bacterial strains from agriculture has been reported in most parts of the world. A staphylococcus strain resistant has been found to transmit from livestock to humans. In the Netherlands ST398 was published, Denmark reported a CC93 strain whereas Europe reported an ST130 methicillin resistant staphylococcus. Cases of these resistant strains have been reported with no contact between animals and humans. The fact suggests that the infections might have occurred due to human contact, or by contact with pets, contaminated foods or contaminated environment. Animals are zoonotic reserves. Hence, animal to human transmissions is at a very high rate compared to other transmission routes.
Economically, antibiotic use has both long and short-term effects. Short term impacts of antibiotic use in the agricultural sector are that of the reduced cost of production and a rise in production volumes. However, due to the health risks posed by the use of antibiotics in the agricultural sector, most government has been forced to ban the use of reported antibiotics in the farming sector. The banning has economic implications as it will increase the cost of production. It will call for farmers changing their production processes such as changing the type of equipment's, housing and looking for medical alternatives to the banned antibiotics. Feed formulations also need adjustment, including switching to biosecurity techniques like selective breeding. The antibiotic-producing industries might also encounter lose as their purchase rate will drop. Animal products will also be produced in smaller quantities due to the absence of growth promoters. A decrease in production volumes leads to the hiking of prices of farm products, making it unaffordable.
In conclusion, the use of antibiotics in the agricultural sector poses more disadvantages than advantages. Its use should, therefore, be discouraged for the sake of human and animal health as well as economic stability.
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